What gets you pumped to workout? What gets you excited to really push yourself to the limit?
Is it a coach screaming in your ear, a friend telling you can do better, or an inner voice that is not satisfied with anything less than your best effort?
It’s no secret that success in body transformation and long term health has more to do with motivation and mindset than it does anything else. Motivation is the engine which powers every accomplishment in our lives, every achievement.
Given how important motivation is for our success, we asked our expert contributors, facebook fans, twitter followers, and Youtube subscribers for their favorite workout motivation videos. We compiled a list of the top 10 videos, which you can find below.
As we all have different ideas about what gets us motivated, the videos range from big dudes lifting heavy weights with loud music, to others that are more subtle and only tangentially related to working out. But these more subtle videos may be the most motivating.
We hope a few of these ten workout motivation videos, or even just one can help you get a little more motivated to strive toward your own fitness goals, to be the best YOU can be.
#1 – The Law Of Gym (No Pain, No Gain)
Love him, or hate him, Arnold Schwartznegger was a driving force in helping popularize lifting weights in the U.S. and around the world. Coming to America at the age of 21 speaking little English, he is undeniably an incredible success story. He made it cool to want to lift hard and build some muscle. In this video, he offers a narrative about motivation and never stopping until you succeed.
#2 – High-Quality Sports Motivation Video
Combining high quality video, exceptional video editing, powerful music, and special effects to create the most beautiful and possibly best video on the list. You must want to get off the couch and move after seeing this video…or continue sitting on the couch to watch it over and over again. Hopefully the former. While there is a 15 second commercial before the video starts, it’s well worth the wait.
#3 – How Bad Do You Want It (Success)
This is a classic workout motivation video with over 15 million views, which makes it by far the most viewed video on this list. The video features a running back from East Caroline Giavanni Ruffin training. Narrating the video is a speech by Eric Thomas (AKA The Hip Hop Preacher). One element that makes this video so powerful is that Giavanni is consumed by his mission to become a better football player, which is highlighted by all the different places he trains (at the beach, on some fields, at the track, in the gym etc.) Tremendous focus and effort necessary to truly be the best you can be.
#4 – Alabama Football Training Day
“If it feels good, you ain’t doing it right” – Alabama Strength Coach
I chose this video partly because it reminds me of my college days as an athlete when I was never more motivated to workout. When you have a crazy strength coach staring and screaming at you, you tend to give the extra 25% you didn’t even know you had. Alabama is a storied football program, so this behind-the-scenes video of them pushing each other in the gym is rare. I can assure you these guys didn’t get so muscular sitting on the couch, but by working REALLY hard in the gym.
#5 – Female Workout Motivation
This video highlights fitness competitor Renae Thomas lifting a serious amount of weight; she’s doing single arm dumbbell rows with 80lb at one point in the video. She isn’t lifting the stereotypical 5-10lb dumbbells most women lift and she still looks very feminine despite how much weight she is lifting. For the guys, if you see a pretty girl out-lifting you, I’m not sure there is better motivation to hit the gym!
#6 – No Excuses
This is a great video to help you stop making excuses. I was laughing really hard at some of the excuses he came up with, maybe you will too.
#7 – No Arms, No Legs, No Worries
Nick Vunicic is a true inspiration; he has no arms or legs, but makes the most of his life as a brilliant motivational speaker and active sports and fitness enthusiast. Next time you are feeling sorry for yourself after a long day, think of Nick.
#8 – Bruce Lee Training
Watching Bruce Lee kick the stuffing out of people is always entertaining, and this video highlights just that. While it’s not specific to going to the gym, or running per se, I hope it does get you excited to move around and do something active.
#9 – Girls Can Workout Too
This video features women doing challenging bodyweight exercises that are not associated with what most women are able to do, like pull ups. In fact, there was even a New York Times article that highlighted how difficult it is for women to do pull ups. The truth is that women can certainly hang with the guys, it’s just a matter of mindset.
#10 – Arnold Schwarzenegger Training
While not as powerful as the first video, this video features Arnold Schwarzenegger with loud music that powerfully drives the video. Arnold is one of the most ferociously competitive men out there, so watching how hard he trains can be very motivating.
Which workout motivation video is your favorite?
This is exactly what I needed on this Monday morning! Thank you!
I watched only video #2 because that is all it took for me to get my butt out the door for a run and then strength training session. It is powerfully edited and masterfully scored.
Even though I had seen some of its clips before, I never tire of watching the soccer players performing those unbelievable kicks, nor of Oscar Pistorius’ elegant and explosive running form. The rugby player goodnaturedly pulling the tooth out of his mouth after a brutal hit and tossing it aside with a laugh speaks volumes about the love of sports (and shows how rugby is so much tougher than our silly football lol).
I loved this article and can’t wait to watch the other nine in the following days for my exercise inspiration.
Was a little short on sleep today and was going to skip the gym for that reason. Then I stopped by BuiltLean and watched the first Arnold video and that woke me up–had a great workout and feel like my muscle building phase is off the ground. Thanks so much for these videos.
I should also say that I love this website and am so grateful to everyone at Built Lean for what you do. For the first time in my life I feel like I know what I’m doing in terms reaching my fitness goals and that is attributable in large part to the education I’ve received from this website. I tell everybody about Built Lean. Marc, you’re one of my heroes.
Thank you very much for your kind comment!
I think the training montages from the Rocky films are classic motivational tools as well! Nevertheless, thanks for posting these.
I am a huge BuiltLean fan, but I am very surprised you included a video with Oscar Pistorius, considering the recent tragedy.
@John – I did consider this and it was a tough call, especially given the recency. There are pros and of course cons to keeping it up. If more people take offense to it, or voice reasons as to why it should not be up, I will take it down. I’ll also give this more thought. Thanks for raising this issue, John.
Such a great article like every other article on this site.
I really like video #3 very inspirational.
Video three hit hard for me. I am training for USAF Pararescue – and it is something that needs all senses dedicated to achieve.
You forgot one 🙂 Obese injured Vet who was told he would never walk unassisted. Not only does he walk, but he can now run – and he lost 140lbs!
i don think the recent tragedy surrounding Oscar Pistorius should take anything away from his sporting achievements
Great content and motivation! Thank you! I agree with cam and the Oscar Pistorius tragedy. He inspired countless people and we can’t take that away. I also thought I caught a glimpse of Lance Armstrong but could be wrong :o)
This is my favorite post on builtlean.com. You really inspired me today. Thank you for putting these together! Hope to see you around soon!
Bianca Jade/MizzFIT
Thanks, Bianca. Really happy you liked them!
It’s hard to watch some of the videos and think I can achieve anything like it. I’m a 57 year old woman, working out pretty hard (mix of metabolic training classes, plus some TRX and Pilates). Been at it for about 6 months but with no simple cardio like walking or running because of an injury (osteitis pubis). I can’t seem to bust the 170 lb barrier. Trying like heck to get my weight down. Trying to stay positive. It’s just damn harder when you get older. Any success stories to share for motivation? Thanks!
Sure, we have a bunch. While they are all men, it’s still motivational nontheless => BuiltLean Success Stories
thanks for your motivational videos it’s really informative and helpful too.
No problem! We strive to educate and motivate our readers, so we’re super stoked to hear you liked the content.
-Kristin, BuiltLean Coach & Managing Editor